Thursday, May 1, 2014

The Walrus magazine earns most 2013 National Magazine Awards Nominations

The Walrus Foundation is pleased to announce that The Walrus magazine has received 35 National Magazine Award nominations. Our contributors were nominated for 24 written, 3 visual, and 8 integrated awards. The tenth anniversary issue of The Walrus was nominated for best single issue. The winners will be announced at the thirty-seventh annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 6 in Toronto.

“We’re proud to receive these nominations and congratulate our nominated contributors, without whom we couldn’t produce The Walrus magazine,” said co‑publishers John Macfarlane and Shelley Ambrose. “We’re committed to providing a print and digital forum for the country’s most talented and dedicated writers, artists, and journalists.”

Since its inception, The Walrus has won more National Magazine Awards than any other publication, including the 2006 award for Magazine of the Year. The Walrus has won sixty-three golds and thirty-eight silvers at the National Magazine Awards, as well as 219 honourable mentions.

The Walrus congratulates all of our nominated contributors and staff members, listed here:

The Walrus Foundation is a registered charitable non-profit (No. 861851624-RR0001) with an educational mandate to create forums for conversations on matters vital to Canadians. The foundation is dedicated to promoting writers, artists, ideas, and conversation. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year in print, tablet, and smart phone editions; curating the Walrus Talks, leadership dinners, speakers’ series, and other events across the country; offering original high-quality content at thewalrus.ca; creating such digital projects as Walrus Ebooks; partnering with Blue Ant Media to produce documentaries and other programming at thewalrus.ca/tv; and training young professionals in media, publishing, and non-profit development.

For more information, or to book an interview with any of our writers or editors, please contact Miranda Newman at [email protected] or (416) 971-5004, ext. 227.

Monday, April 14

Toronto—The Walrus Foundation and the Canadian International Council are pleased to announce that New York–based journalist Nadja Drost is the winner of the second CIC-Walrus International Long-Form Competition. Drost, who recently completed her graduate studies at Columbia University, will receive a $7,500 commission and will work with Walrus editors throughout 2014 to prepare her piece for publication.

Drost’s proposal—about resource extraction by Canadian companies in Colombia—was one of more than fifty submitted by graduate students, journalists, academics, public policy figures, and members of NGO and business communities. A selection committee made up of the editorial staff of the Canadian International Council, Taylor Owen and Andrew Reddie, and the editor and co-publisher of The Walrus, John Macfarlane, adjudicated this second competition.

Upon accepting her commission, Drost noted that “while reporting in Colombia, it became evident to me that there is a major story to be told about how an influx of Canadian mining interests are playing out in a country still struggling with armed conflict. I’m thrilled that as a result of the CIC-Walrus competition, I’ll be able to tell that story.”

“The selection committee was impressed by the quality and breadth of the entries we received,” Macfarlane said, “and we’re pleased that Nadja Drost will be working with The Walrus to produce the kind of high-quality long-form journalism that our readers have come to expect.”

“We are delighted that Nadja Drost has been selected as the winner of this competition and that her project focuses on an incredibly important topic,” said Jennifer Jeffs, president of the CIC. “The subject of resource extraction at home and abroad is incredibly important and reflects OpenCanada.org’s goal of making research more relevant, foreign policy more accessible, and journalism more substantive.”

The Walrus magazine is published by the charitable non-profit Walrus Foundation with an educational mandate to support debate on matters vital to Canadians. The foundation is dedicated to promoting writers, artists, ideas, and conversation. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing
The Walrus magazine ten times a year in print, tablet, and smart phone editions; curating public debates, leadership dinners, speakers’ series, and other events across the country; offering original high-quality content at thewalrus.ca; through such digital projects as Walrus Ebooks; and by partnering with Smithsonian Channel to produce documentaries and other programming at thewalrus.ca/tv.

The Canadian International Council (CIC) is Canada’s foreign relations council. It is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada’s role in international affairs. The CIC reflects the ideas and interests of a broad constituency of Canadians who believe that a country’s foreign policy is not an esoteric concern of experts but that it directly affects the lives and prosperity of its citizens. The CIC uses its deep historical roots, its cross-country network, and its active research program to advance debate on international issues across academic disciplines, policy areas, and economic sectors. The CIC’s digital media platform, OpenCanada.org, is Canada’s hub for international affairs. The CIC’s research program is managed by the national office in Toronto. Its sixteen branches across Canada offer CIC members speakers’ programs, study groups, conferences, and seminars.

October 11, 2013

The deadline for entries is December 1, 2013; visit OpenCanada.org to enter

Toronto—The Walrus Foundation and the Canadian International Council (CIC) are calling for submissions for the second annual internationally focused long-form journalism competition. The prestigious CIC-Walrus International Long-Form Competition launched in 2012, and aims to promote an investigative, reported, or analytic article of the highest quality by a Canadian or resident of Canada who is involved in international research, while also raising the profile of a salient issue in international political affairs within Canada and worldwide. The competition’s winner receives a $7,500 commission and will work with The Walrus editors to prepare a piece for publication.

The 2012 winner was Selena Ross and her piece will be published by The Walrus in future.

“The Walrus is committed to investigative journalism about Canada and its place in the world,” said the editor of The Walrus magazine, John Macfarlane. “This competition is another opportunity for us to highlight an important issue in international afairs, while also working with a talented thinker to bring quality writing to The Walrus and Canadians.

“In a new media landscape, research that does not present a public face gets lost and journalism that does not have a substantive research component has a short lifespan,” said Jennifer Jeffs, president of the Canadian International Council. “This long-form competition is part of OpenCanada.org’s goal to make research more accessible, foreign policy more engaging, and journalism more substantive. We are delighted to be working with The Walrus to raise the profile of international affairs in Canada.”

This competition is open to graduate students, journalists, academics, former public policy figures, and members of NGO and business communities who are dedicated to the study of international affairs. The winner will be chosen by the CIC and The Walrus. The deadline for entries is December 1, 2013. The winner will be notified in January 2014, and all competition rules are available at: opencanada.org

The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public debate on matters vital to Canadians. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year; producing debates, leadership dinners, salons, and other events across the country; publishing original high-quality digital content at thewalrus.ca; through such digital projects as The Walrus Laughs; and now, by partnering with eqhd to provide documentaries and other programming at walrustv.ca. We also run an intensive internship program training the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, development, and the digital world.

The Canadian International Council (CIC) is Canada’s foreign relations council. It is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada’s role in international affairs. The CIC reflects the ideas and interests of a broad constituency of Canadians who believe that a country’s foreign policy is not an esoteric concern of experts but directly affects the lives and prosperity of its citizens. The CIC uses its deep historical roots, its cross-country network, and its active research program to advance debate on international issues across academic disciplines, policy areas, and economic sectors. The CIC’s digital media platform, OpenCanada.org, is Canada’s hub for international affairs. The CIC’s research program is managed by the national office in Toronto. Its 16 branches across Canada offer CIC members speakers’ programs, study groups, conferences, and seminars.

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For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

Monday, June 10, 2013

The magazine’s contributors and staff win six golds and two silvers

Toronto—The Walrus congratulates its contributors for winning six National Magazine Awards at Friday night’s ceremony in Toronto. The Walrus won four gold awards, two silver awards, and seventeen honourable mentions.

“The achievements of our staff and contributors tonight speak to the immense talent that we have behind our magazine,” said editor and co-publisher John Macfarlane. “We are thrilled to be able to present and promote their work, and are thankful that the National Magazine Awards has recognized their talent. As we celebrate our 10th Anniversary Year in 2013, we are proud to continue to support discussion and debate on Canada’s most important issues. Tonight’s recognized contributors, and everyone who has been part of The Walrus for the past ten years, are key to that success.”

The Walrus magazine received twenty-three National Magazine Award nominations this year, including fifteen for written work, five for visual contributions, and three for integrated award categories.

Since its inception, The Walrus has become the most decorated Canadian periodical. With tonight’s four gold awards and two silver awards, The Walrus has now earned a total of sixty-three golds and thirty-eight silvers at the National Magazine Awards, as well as 219 honourable mentions.

The Walrus is published ten times annually by the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation. The Walrus Foundation has an educational mandate to support writers, artists, readers, and intelligent debate on matters vital to Canadians.

On behalf of all staff members, interns, supporters, and readers, The Walrus congratulates this year’s winners and nominees. The July/August Summer Reading Issue of The Walrus introduces six of the best emerging writers from across the nation, explores Justin Trudeau’s emotional appeal, investigates the controversy surrounding the acclaimed Experimental Lakes Area, and much more. It will hit newsstands on Monday, June 10.

June 10, 2013

The annual double Summer Reading issue of The Walrus magazine will appear on digital newsstands May 29 and on print newsstands June 10.

In this issue, The Walrus magazine introduces you to the six best emerging writers from across the country that you’ve never heard of. Meet Mona Awad from Toronto; in her story “When We Went Against the Universe” sex and fate collide over McFlurries in a Mississauga McDonald’s. In “The Eviction Process,” Kris Bertin from Halifax pulls us into a story of gay deadbeats renovating a former hothouse [grow op] who are forced to evict their loser tenants with terrifying results. And in “Somewhere, a Long Happy Life Probably Awaits You,” by Jill Sexsmith from Winnipeg, a couple builds a house in a dying tree–with a little help from the neighbours, and Home Depot. Plus, poetry from Suzannah Showler of Toronto, Derek Webster of Montreal, and Vincent Colistro of Victoria.

Also in the double summer issue, award–winning historical and political author Richard Gwyn explores Justin Trudeau’s emotional appeal. Gwyn posits that the newly minted Liberal leader’s flaws and flubs should have derailed support, but did not, because Trudeau has a purchase on one element that outweighs all those shortcomings, and it’s the same thing that won Obama his presidency–hope. Will Trudeau’s compassion be enough to win him the federal election and make him a successful prime minister?

Sara Angel profiles Shary Boyle, the darling of the Canadian art scene, who will represent Canada at the fifty–fifth Venice Biennale. Angel takes us behind the scenes to see what led to Boyle’s national success (from backup singing for Feist to showcasing her work in major exhibitions across Canada). As an artist celebrated by her country for almost a decade, Boyle will present her work on the world stage for the first time, but how will she measure up?

Peter Andrey Smith investigates the controversy surrounding the federal government and the internationally acclaimed Experimental Lakes Area. The low–cost experiment, which involves using water basins to test external elements on the environment, has provided groundbreaking data concerning, among other things, the effects of acid rain and mercury. Such breakthroughs have influenced environmental policy around the world, but despite the benefits of the ELA, the Conservative government chose to shut the project down. Smith investigates why.

Also in the Summer Reading issue:

A former Marineland employee recollects his time behind the scenes at the theme park

Ultimate Fighting champion Georges St-Pierre confronts his fears

What really happens at Canada’s largest electronic music festival?

Will the quantum computer change anything?

And much more!

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

May 13, 2013

The June issue of The Walrus magazine on digital and print newsstands today

In the June issue of The Walrus magazine, award–winning journalist Richard Poplak takes an inside look at the daily life of the greatest female soccer player in the world, Canada’s Christine Sinclair. Poplak discovers that Sinclair adamantly keeps her personal life private, and he suggests that, in the world of sports, where female athletes are often sexualized for the purpose of profit, Sinclair will not play that game. Can simply being the world’s best female soccer player be enough to sustain Sinclair’s success and guarantee her a well-deserved future?

National Magazine Award–winning journalist Alison Motluk investigates how strep throat may be causing mental illness in children. Motluk shows readers that an emotional behavioural disorder known as PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections) turns healthy children into “basket cases,” but she also discovers how controversial PANDAS is in medical circles. Motluk explains why the existence of PANDAS is not a widely accepted theory, and why Canadian physicians are wary of diagnosing the disorder, prompting many patients to cross the border for treatment.

As summer approaches, Canadians’ beer consumption will surely increase, but Carleton University professor Matthew Bellamy reminds us that Canada was not always a beer-drinking nation. Bellamy shows that Canada was a country of spirit drinkers and teetotallers until Labatt created a nation obsessed with beer. Bellamy examines how Labatt made beer an inherent part of our national identity.

April 15th, 2013

The May issue of The Walrus magazine on print and digital newsstands today

In the May 2013 issue of The Walrus magazine, Kwame McKenzie, psychiatrist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, explains how the fifth edition of the international bible of psychiatry—the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—will completely change how mental illness is diagnosed. McKenzie shows how the new diagnostic system has been altered and now holds individuals accountable for their reactions to their environment, potentially causing false epidemics. McKenzie’s piece poses the question, could the DSM–5 turn normal human behaviour into mental illness?

Lisa Fitterman profiles Justice France Charbonneau, the torchbearer for Quebec’s fight against corruption. Fitterman illustrates how the Charbonneau Inquiry is exposing a network of backroom dealing that has gone unchecked for years and is taking the leaders of corruption down one by one. Fitterman explores the domino effect that the commission has triggered throughout the rest of Quebec, exemplifying why Justice Charbonneau is the best person for the job.

Also in the May issue of The Walrus magazine:

Can the paywall save Canadian newspapers?

Why the people of Fredericton are sad to see Zellers go as Target takes over

The Alberta inventor who can help make the oil sands cleaner

Montreal’s vibrant deaf culture

A round-up of the newfangled erotic bestsellers

The smallpox epidemic that everyone forgot

And much more!

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

March 19, 2013

TORONTO—March 19, 2013—As part of the Royal Ontario Museum’s ninety-ninth birthday celebration today, the museum and the Walrus Foundation announce a collaboration to create a book—planned for release as part of the ROM’s centennial celebrations in 2014. The full-colour, approximately 120-page book will focus on the ROM’s encyclopedic, internationally recognized collections and their continuing relevance to contemporary audiences. While it will include a history of the ROM’s collections, the core of the publication is a dialogue about specific artifacts and specimens in the collection by ROM curators and writers from across Canada, selected by The Walrus and the ROM. The Walrus’s editor, John Macfarlane, and the ROM’s vice-president of communications, Kelvin Browne, will lead the project. An ebook version is also being produced.

“The ROM is excited to collaborate with The Walrus on our centennial book,” said Janet Carding, ROM director and CEO. “The collections are at the heart of the ROM, and together tell a great story of this extraordinary, encyclopedic museum over its first 100 years. It’s a great subject for this landmark publication. The Walrus and the ROM share the attributes of being community builders, alive and surprising. Together we’ll demonstrate the continuing power of our collections to engage, and produce a remarkable book, in print and online.”

“The Walrus Foundation is committed to conversations about matters vital to Canadians,” said Walrus Foundation executive director Shelley Ambrose. “The Walrus is a forum for conversations about Canada and its place in the world on many platforms: in print, digitally, through events, and now with this historic project, in a book. This exciting collaboration is a way for us to connect people to the incredible collections at the ROM, their world, and, ultimately, to each other.”

The book will be published in March 2014 as the ROM’s centennial celebrations commence. For more information as it becomes available, visit rom.on.ca/100.

Opened in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s largest museum of natural history and world cultures, with six million objects in its collections and galleries showcasing art, archaeology, and natural science. The ROM is the largest field research institution in the country, and a world leader in research areas from biodiversity, palaeontology, and earth sciences to archaeology, ethnology, and visual culture—originating new information towards a global understanding of historical and modern change in culture and environment. The Royal Ontario Museum is an agency of the Government of Ontario.

The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public debate on matters vital to Canadians. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year in print, tablet, and phone editions; producing talks, debates, leadership dinners, salons, and other events across the country; publishing original high-quality digital content at thewalrus.ca; through such digital projects as The Walrus Laughs, The Walrus Soapbox, and Walrus Ebooks; and by partnering with eqhd to provide documentaries and other programming at thewalrus.ca/tv. We also run an intensive internship program training the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, development, and the digital world.

For more media information, interviews, or visuals, please contact:

Shelagh O’Donnell, head of public relations, ROM, at (416) 586-5858, or [email protected]

David Leonard, director of events and special projects, the Walrus Foundation, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected]

March 19, 2013

TORONTO—March 19, 2013—This year marks the tenth anniversary of The Walrus magazine, and, to celebrate, we’re partnering with Canadian artists and illustrators to create a series of limited-edition T‑shirts. The first of ten shirts, released today, features an original illustration made for the Walrus Foundation by award-winning illustrator Gary Taxali. It will be available from March 18 to April 15, exclusively at thewalrus.ca/store.

Each shirt in the series will be on sale for one month only, and will cost just $28. Details will be posted at thewalrus.ca and through Walrus accounts on Twitter and Facebook. After a month, the shirt will become completely unavailable, making it a truly limited-edition item. If you miss it, it’s gone forever.

Ten years ago, The Walrus was born with a vision to create a Canadian general interest magazine about Canada and its place in the world. Our founders chose to name the magazine The Walrus, after a curmudgeonly-but-clever, bulky-but-agile northern animal that is hard to ignore. The Walrus celebrates Canadian writers, artists, readers, ideas, and debate, and in 2013, the tenth anniversary celebrations continue all year long with these limited-edition shirts and a special anniversary double issue to be released in autumn.

Spot the Walrus: Walrus readers and followers (like CBC’s Jian Ghomeshi) will be posting pictures of themselves wearing their limited-edition T-shirts for a chance to win the next design. Help us spread the word by tweeting your photo to @walrusmagazine or posting on facebook.com/thewalrusmagazine.

The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public debate on matters vital to Canadians. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year in print, tablet, and phone editions; producing talks, debates, leadership dinners, salons, and other events across the country; publishing original high-quality digital content at thewalrus.ca; through such digital projects as The Walrus Laughs, The Walrus Soapbox, and Walrus Ebooks; and by partnering with eqhd to provide documentaries and other programming at thewalrus.ca/tv. We also run an intensive internship program training the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, development, and the digital world.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

March 11, 2013

In the April issue of The Walrus magazine, Nicholas Hune-Brown investigates legal weed and the possible future of corporate marijuana. Hune-Brown examines the existing marijuana trade in Canada during an era of prohibition, and discovers a world where independent growers are getting ready to capitalize on a popular product as it makes the transition from back alleys to the open market.

Katherine Ashenburg profiles Alberta premier Alison Redford, and shows how Redford has thrown away the party labels that define policymaking and is instead focusing on what drew her to politics in the first place: responsibility to the community. Ashenburg traces Redford’s path from youth to her rise in politics, revealing the many sides of the province’s first female premier.

Former executive director of the Stop Community Food Centre Nick Saul explains why food banks are not a solution to hunger but a part of the problem. He argues that food banks do not help those whom they are supposed to assist, and explains why expanding educational programs that target the roots of poverty is a much better solution.

Lyndsie Bourgon examines the history of stolen artifacts and human remains from Haida Gwaii that are currently held in museums around the world. She explores the Haida Repatriation Committee’s quest to return artifacts to their ancestral home with the Haida Nation in British Columbia.

Also in the April issue of The Walrus magazine:

How Canada’s BlackBerry has become a Nigerian status symbol

Community choirs and the popularity of amateur culture

Inuit find a prosperous future in the cleanup of Canada’s largest Cold War radar station

Using folklore instead of science to explain albinism

Looking back at the stories of Alice and Bob, the made-up characters used to explain advancements in cryptography

…and much more.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

February 25, 2013

Calgary (Marketwire)—February 25—Suncor Energy and the Walrus Foundation today announced a new speaker series which will look to engage Canadians in conversations about our energy future.

The Walrus Talks Energy is a four-part, cross-country series that will bring together eight high-profile speakers from many disciplines for eighty minutes of lively, thought-provoking discussion.

“Our Walrus Talks across the country aim to create and sustain national conversations on a wide range of topics, from art to business to sustainability,” said Walrus Foundation executive director Shelley Ambrose. “The Walrus Talks Energy is an exciting part of our ongoing effort to engage Canadians with lively, thoughtful ideas on vital matters.”

At each event, the speakers will give a seven-minute talk on one aspect of our sustainable energy future, all combining to give the audience a picture of our collective impact, to broaden our understanding of the challenges of energy production and to learn what lies ahead.

“We want to help Canadians understand our role as energy users and producers, make informed energy choices and work towards being a sustainable energy leader,” said Gord Lambert, vice president, Sustainability, Suncor Energy. “We encourage Canadians to engage in this very important conversation through The Walrus Talks Energy.”

The inaugural Walrus Talks Energy conversation will take place in Toronto on Thursday, April 4 at MaRS Discovery District. Tickets are $20 for the general public and $12 for students.

All Canadians can take part via a Walrus-hosted live stream and interactive online conversation through The Walrus Soapbox at thewalrus.ca. This innovative public forum will foster a vital ongoing conversation about energy in Canada and the rest of the world.

For more information about Suncor Energy and its community investment program, visit suncor.com/community.

Suncor Energy and the Suncor Energy Foundation (SEF) have a proud history helping build sustainable communities through collaborative partnerships that enhance the quality of life in key operating areas. Over the past ten years, Suncor and the SEF have invested more than $110 million in charitable and non-profit organizations across Canada and internationally. The SEF is a private, charitable foundation established to receive Suncor’s contributions and support registered Canadian charitable organization.

Suncor Energy is Canada’s premier integrated energy company. Suncor’s operations include oil sands development and upgrading, conventional and offshore oil and gas production, petroleum refining, and product marketing under the Petro-Canada brand. While working to responsibly develop petroleum resources, Suncor is also developing a growing renewable energy portfolio. Suncor’s common shares (symbol: SU) are listed on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges.

The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote writers, artists, education, and conversation on matters vital to Canadians. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year, in print and tablet editions; hosting debates, leadership dinners, speakers’ series, and other events across the country; producing original high-quality digital content; hosting The Walrus Laughs; partnering with eqhd to produce documentaries and other programming for Walrus TV; and publishing ebooks by Canada’s finest writers. We also run an intensive internship program that trains the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, non-profit development, and digital publishing.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

February 4, 2013

Toronto—February 12—Just in time for Valentine’s Day from Walrus Ebooks: Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer’s Corpse is now available for just $1.99, wherever ebooks are sold.

The newest Walrus e-single, Corpse, is the story of a wintery Friday night gone awry when a young boy goes deer hunting in an urban park. A humorous meditation on absences, death, and, of course, love.

Walrus Ebooks introduce the world to Canada’s best writers, via short stories from the pages of The Walrus magazine. Our DRM-free books come in both EPUB and MOBI (Kindle) formats. They can be accessed and shared on multiple devices—and our prices are low so that audiences everywhere can discover new Canadian authors or revisit old favourites.

Walrus Ebooks. Wherever you are, however you read.

Download Walrus Ebooks at thewalrus.ca/ebooks or at any major ebook retailer. Walrus Ebooks are distributed by Coach House Books.

Kathryn Kuitenbrouwer authored the novels Perfecting and The Nettle Spinner, as well as the short story collection Way Up. Her story “Will You Staunch the Wound?” won the 2012 Sidney Prize. She has a novel forthcoming in early 2014 with Random House of Canada. For more information, visit kathrynkuitenbrouwer.com.

January 4, 2013

Walrus Ebooks Launches a New E-single: David Bergen’s Morris in Love

Toronto—Friday, January 4—New from Walrus Ebooks: David Bergen’s short story Morris in Love, now available for just $1.99, only on Kobo.

For one week, Kobo is the exclusive home to the latest Walrus Ebooks e-single, Morris in Love, adapted from David Bergen’s 2010 Scotiabank Giller Prize–nominated book, The Matter with Morris. Get it only at Kobo until January 11.

Walrus Ebooks introduce the world to Canada’s best writers, via short stories from the pages of The Walrus magazine. Our DRM-free books come in both EPUB and MOBI (Kindle) formats. They can be accessed and shared on multiple devices—and our prices are so low that audiences everywhere can discover new Canadian authors or revisit old favourites.

Walrus Ebooks. Wherever you are, however you read.

Download Walrus Ebooks at thewalrus.ca/ebooks or at any major ebook retailer. Walrus Ebooks are distributed by Coach House Books.

December 11, 2012

Congratulations to Selena Ross

Toronto—Tuesday, December 11—The Walrus Foundation and the Canadian International Council (CIC) are pleased to announce that Halifax-based journalist Selena Ross is the winner of the inaugural CIC-Walrus International Long-Form Competition. Ross, who is currently a reporter for Halifax’s Chronicle-Herald, will receive a $7,500 commission and will work with Walrus editors in 2013 to prepare her piece for publication.

Ross’s proposal—about scientific research in Canada’s Arctic—was one of more than 100 submitted by graduate students, journalists, academics, public policy figures, and members of NGO and business communities. This inaugural competition was adjudicated by a selection committee made up of a small group of eminent Canadian academics and senior international affairs journalists including Tony Burman, Adam Gopnik, Janice Stein, Lyse Doucet, Nahlah Ayed, and the editor and co-publisher of The Walrus, John Macfarlane.

“The selection committee was impressed by the quality and breadth of the entries we received,” Macfarlane said, “and we’re pleased that Selena Ross will be working with The Walrus to produce the kind of high-quality, long-form journalism that our readers have come to expect.”

“We are delighted that Selena Ross has been selected as the winner of this competition,” said Jennifer Jeffs, president of the CIC. “Her topic is timely and speaks to OpenCanada.org’s goal to make research more accessible, foreign policy more engaging, and journalism more substantive.”

The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public debate on matters vital to Canadians. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year; producing debates, leadership dinners, salons, and other events across the country; publishing original high-quality digital content at thewalrus.ca; through such digital projects as The Walrus Laughs; and by partnering with eqhd to provide documentaries and other programming at thewalrus.ca/tv. We also run an intensive internship program training the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, development, and the digital world.

The Canadian International Council (CIC) is Canada’s foreign relations council. It is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada’s role in international affairs. The CIC reflects the ideas and interests of a broad constituency of Canadians who believe that a country’s foreign policy is not an esoteric concern of experts but directly affects the lives and prosperity of its citizens. The CIC uses its deep historical roots, its cross-country network, and its active research program to advance debate on international issues across academic disciplines, policy areas, and economic sectors. The CIC’s digital media platform, OpenCanada.org, is Canada’s hub for international affairs. The CIC’s research program is managed by the national office in Toronto. Its sixteen branches across Canada offer CIC members speakers’ programs, study groups, conferences, and seminars.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

October 19, 2012

Congratulations to Méira Cook and Bardia Sinaee

Toronto—The Walrus Foundation and the Hal Jackman Foundation are pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural Walrus Poetry Prize. Méira Cook’s poem “The Devil’s Advocate” receives the Walrus Poetry Prize and $5,000, and Bardia Sinaee’s “Barnacle Goose Ballad” wins the Readers’ Choice Award and $1,000. Both poems will be published in the December issue of The Walrus magazine.

“Of the five poems on the short list, ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ seemed to create the most lingering effect,” said Walrus Poetry Prize judge Karen Solie. “There is a playfulness in the use of proverb and idiom, but also a control of the language. Together, they suggest that something larger than voice is at stake.”

“The Walrus is proud to publish some of the best that Canadian poets have to offer, and as a general interest magazine we feel privileged to be able to reach such a large, diverse national audience and expose this work to our readers,” said Walrus poetry editor Michael Lista. “The renaissance of Canadian poetry—a revolution the world is coming to acknowledge—is unfolding in the pages of The Walrus.”

The Walrus Foundation and the Hal Jackman Foundation established the Walrus Poetry Prize to discover and recognize great original Canadian verse and involve the public in the process.

The awards were announced at an event last night in Toronto, which featured the shortlisted poets reading their work, in videos produced by High Fidelity HDTV.

The five shortlisted poems will remain at thewalrus.ca/poetry-prize, which will soon include the video readings and interviews with the winners.

November 12: The winning poems are published in the December issue of The Walrus magazine.

October 5, 2012

Read the magazine about Canada and its place in the world on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch

Toronto—The Walrus magazine is now available on Newsstand on the App Store. The award-winning Walrus designers have recreated the magazine you know and love for an optimal digital reading experience on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch device.

The Walrus magazine on Newsstand, delivered automatically to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch, contains the same great essays, articles, fiction, poetry, and criticism as the print magazine, plus even more exclusive content: browse exclusive image galleries, read related articles in-app, or watch a video on Walrus TV.

“The Walrus magazine on Newsstand is a great way to continue the conversation. It’s the same award-winning writing and art, but delivered faster, with more content, and optimized by Walrus art director Brian Morgan to look beautiful on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch,” said Nic Boshart, manager of digital initiatives at the Walrus Foundation.

Navigate seamlessly by scrolling between articles, or use the page-preview carousel to get a quick overview of the magazine with thumbnail images of each page. Made using Mag+, The Walrus magazine for Newsstand makes it simple to share Walrus content with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, by email, or SMS. The app also has a bookmarking function so you can mark your favourite articles.

The Walrus magazine on Newsstand is available for free from the App Store on iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch devices, or via itunes.ca/thewalrus. Individual issues are available for $4.99 through in-app purchase; the annual subscription price is $19.99. Through Newsstand, each new issue, including the latest cover art, will be delivered to the user’s iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch. The October 2012 issue of The Walrus magazine is included at no charge.

If you already subscribe to The Walrus magazine’s print edition, or if you purchase a new print subscription, your digital subscription to The Walrus magazine on Newsstand is included for free! For more information, visit thewalrus.ca/digital-edition.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

October 2, 2012

The deadline for entries is October 26, 2012; visit OpenCanada.org to enter

Toronto—The Walrus Foundation and the Canadian International Council (CIC) are excited to announce a new partnership and a new internationally focused long-form journalism competition. The CIC-Walrus International Long-Form Competition launches this fall, and aims to promote an investigative, reported, or analytic article of the highest quality by a Canadian or resident of Canada who is involved in international research, while also raising the profile of a salient issue in international political affairs within Canada and worldwide. The competition’s winner will receive a $7,500 commission and will work with Walrus editors to prepare a piece for publication.

“The Walrus is committed to investigative journalism about Canada and its place in the world. This competition is another opportunity for us to highlight an important issue in international affairs, while also working with a talented thinker to bring quality writing to The Walrus and Canadians,” said the editor of The Walrus magazine, John Macfarlane.

“In a new media landscape, research that does not present a public face gets lost and journalism that does not have a substantive research component has a short lifespan,” said Jennifer Jeffs, president of the Canadian International Council. “This long-form competition is part of OpenCanada.org’s goal to make research more accessible, foreign policy more engaging, and journalism more substantive. We are delighted to be working with The Walrus to raise the profile of international affairs in Canada.”

This competition aims to attract graduate students, journalists, academics, former public policy figures, or members of NGO and business communities who are dedicated to the study of international affairs, and it will be adjudicated by a prestigious selection committee made up of a small group of eminent Canadian academics and senior international affairs journalists including Tony Burman, Adam Gopnik, Janice Stein, Lyse Doucet, and Nahlah Ayed.

The deadline for entries is October 26, 2012; the winner will be notified in December 2012. All competition rules are available at: opencanada.org.

The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public debate on matters vital to Canadians. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year; producing debates, leadership dinners, salons, and other events across the country; publishing original high-quality digital content at TheWalrus.ca; through such digital projects as The Walrus Laughs; and now, by partnering with eqhd to provide documentaries and other programming at walrustv.ca. We also run an intensive internship program training the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, development, and the digital world.

The Canadian International Council (CIC) is Canada’s foreign relations council. It is an independent, member-based council established to strengthen Canada’s role in international affairs. The CIC reflects the ideas and interests of a broad constituency of Canadians who believe that a country’s foreign policy is not an esoteric concern of experts but directly affects the lives and prosperity of its citizens. The CIC uses its deep historical roots, its cross-country network, and its active research program to advance debate on international issues across academic disciplines, policy areas, and economic sectors. The CIC’s digital media platform, OpenCanada.org, is Canada’s hub for international affairs. The CIC’s research program is managed by the national office in Toronto. Its sixteen branches across Canada offer CIC members speakers’ programs, study groups, conferences, and seminars.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

September 20, 2012

Walrusmagazine.com is a finalist for best overall companion website and best website design

Toronto—The Canadian Online Publishing Awards nominations were announced today, and The Walrus is proud to be recognized in two categories. The awards, which are produced by the publishers of Masthead Online, have recognized walrusmagazine.com for the second straight year in the red (consumer) category for best overall companion website and best website design. The winners will be announced in Toronto on October 22.

August 31, 2012

Polling now open at walrusmagazine.com

Toronto—The Walrus Foundation and the Hal Jackman Foundation are pleased to announce the digital voting booth is now open for the public to determine the winner of the Walrus Poetry Prize Readers’ Choice Award.

Canadians will select their favourite poem from a short list of five. Michael Lista, poetry editor of The Walrus magazine, chose the short list from more than 400 submissions. The Readers’ Choice poem will be published in the December 2012 issue of The Walrus, and the winning poet will receive $1,000.

“The quality of the submissions to the inaugural Walrus Poetry Prize was truly impressive—staggering really—and the variety and variegation of the voices and perspectives was humbling,” said Michael Lista. “I’m very proud of our short list, but narrowing it down to just five poems was excruciating.”

The Readers’ Choice Award–winning poet and the juried winner of the Walrus Poetry Prize (to be judged by acclaimed poet Karen Solie) will be announced October 18, at the Stephen Bulger Gallery and CAMERA in Toronto.

August 31: Walrus poetry editor Michael Lista releases the Walrus Poetry Prize short list and public voting opens for the Readers’ Choice Award.

September 30: Public voting ends and the winning poem (or poems) is determined.

October 18: The Walrus Poetry Prize–winning poet and the Readers’ Choice Award–winning poet are announced.

November 12: The winning poems are published in The Walrus magazine.

November 17: Shelagh Rogers interviews the juried winner on The Next Chapter (TBC).

The Walrus is published ten times a year by the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

August 13, 2012

On national newsstands today

Toronto—Is Kraft Dinner Canada’s National Dish? Yes, says the cover story in the September issue of The Walrus. Walrus senior editor Sasha Chapman visits Kraft test kitchens and discovers how KD has colonized Canadian pantries, and explains how the dish is not just food—but manufactured fuel for our bodies. Throughout, she details how this basic comfort food has made an indelible mark on our tastes, how we eat, and who we are.

Also in the September issue of The Walrus—and just in time for the Rogers Cup—Richard Poplak profiles Canadian tennis superstar Milos Raonic. The writer follows Raonic and his team at a Memphis ATP tournament and explores how the twenty-one-year-old powerhouse is rising to greatness on the professional tour. Ranked eighth in the world, Raonic is best known for his mythic ability to ace his opponents with The Serve. Poplak dissects Raonic’s game, and questions whether The Serve is enough to take Raonic to the top.

And noted lawyer Edward L. Greenspan and criminology professor Anthony N. Doob’s essay “The Harper Doctrine: Once a Criminal, Always a Criminal” examines how the federal Conservative Party is transforming the values of the judicial system through harsher sentencing. The authors compare how the Liberals and Conservatives have dealt with sentencing in the past, and they question what this means for the future of crime and punishment in Canada.

Elsewhere in the issue, Emily Landau celebrates twenty-five years of Degrassi. The groundbreaking television show arrived during an era when information about adolescent issues was hard to come by. Landau credits the Degrassi series with forging a path for such successors as Gossip Girl, The OC, and Beverly Hills, 90210. However, Landau shows that Degrassi has persevered as the most authentic representation of teen life.

Also in the September issue:

“Deconstructing Dieppe,” by Nathan M. Greenfield, uncovers what went wrong in the World War II battle that resulted in 3,367 Canadian casualties.

Jolyon Helterman’s review “Southern Exposure” explores Oh, Canada, the largest exhibit of Canadian contemporary art ever held in the US, now on at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art.

Amelia Schonbek, a journalist and former Walrus intern, gives a first-hand account of the Montreal student protests.

Max Fawcett’s profile looks at how Alberta strategist Stephen Carter finds his way to campaign victory.

June 26, 2012

New monthly series launches with three titles

Toronto—The Walrus Foundation continues to support and promote great Canadian writing by introducing Walrus Ebooks. This new monthly series launches with three titles: Margaret Atwood’s I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth, Heather O’Neill’s And They Danced by the Light of the Moon, and Joseph Boyden’s Kikwaakew. The Walrus magazine first published these original short stories in its July/August 2012 Summer Reading issue, and they will only be available digitally as ebooks, for just $1.99.

For a limited time, starting Tuesday, June 26, readers can purchase The Walrus Summer Reader—a special edition volume containing all three stories—exclusively from the iBookstore, for just $3.99. This long weekend special is only available until July 3. The iBookstore is available via the free iBooks app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch, and at iTunes.com/iBookstore.

Ebooks have exploded, and more than ever readers are looking for great content for their mobile devices. Walrus Ebooks will present a series of singles and anthologies of the best Canadian writing from the pages of The Walrus. From now until the end of the year, Walrus Ebooks will publish two fiction titles a month, featuring such authors as Steven Heighton and Pasha Malla.

“Making content from The Walrus available in as many forms and on as many platforms as possible, including ebooks, allows us to continue fulfilling our mandate: to support Canadian writers, artists, readers, and debate with a high standard of journalism, fiction, poetry, essays, and more—however readers might want to consume it,” says Shelley Ambrose, co-publisher of The Walrus magazine and executive director of the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation.

Walrus Ebooks offer readers worldwide a unique opportunity to discover Canadian writers and new pieces by their favourite authors. According to BookNet Canada‘s consumer research, in March 2012, 17 percent of books purchased in Canada were electronic. Walrus Ebooks will be available online wherever ebooks are sold. All Walrus Ebooks will be DRM-free when available. Walrus Ebooks are distributed by Coach House Books.

“Congratulations to The Walrus for plunging into the swirling e-waters. Walruses feed on giant clams. May many giant clams be yours! So to speak.”—Margaret Atwood

“Walrus Ebooks will not only promote the great writing in The Walrus, but will extend the Canadian conversation to the world.”—Don Tapscott, author of Macrowikinomics; speaker and adviser on media, technology, and innovation

The Walrus is published ten times a year by the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation.

For more information about Walrus Ebooks, contact Nic Boshart at (416) 971-5004, ext. 245, or [email protected]. To arrange an interview with our contributors, contact David Leonard at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

June 11, 2012

On national newsstands now

Toronto—The annual double Summer Reading issue of The Walrus presents three celebrated Canadian fiction writers revisiting some of their most notable characters. Heather O’Neill takes us back to the birth of Lullabies for Little Criminals with Jules Tremblay. Joseph Boyden walks again with Xavier Bird, twenty-five years after the war he explored in his prizewinning Three Day Road. And Margaret Atwood revives The Robber Bride, in more ways than one, with “I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth.”

The July/August issue features an in-depth story by Alex Hutchinson about the brain science behind marathon running. “A Race Against Time” profiles Canadian marathoner Reid Coolsaet and his physical and mental quest to qualify for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. James Chatto also visits the upcoming Olympics in a short piece entitled “London Calling.” Here, he shares his dilemma about which country to root for: England, the place where he grew up but let go long ago, or Canada, his chosen home?

Matthew McKinnon interviews Somali Canadian rapper and singer K’naan about his rapid ascent, tracing the musician’s journey from Somalia to Harlem to Toronto. K’naan speaks to the challenges of balancing his accomplishments and the celebrity status that follows, and wonders whether he can crack the American market and achieve global success without succumbing to fame.

Sarah Milroy lends her voice to the July/August issue with “The Hunter Artist,” in which she explores the historical and evolving artists’ community in Cape Dorset, Nunavut. There, she meets with a new generation that is redefining Inuit imagery while preserving northern traditions. Photography and works by Inuit artist and Cape Dorset resident Tim Pitsiulak frame the piece.

June 7, 2012

The magazine’s contributors and staff win six golds and six silvers

Toronto—The Walrus magazine is proud to have received twelve National Magazine Awards at tonight’s awards ceremony in Toronto. This total—more than any other publication—included six gold awards and six silver awards, and twenty honourable mentions for our contributors and staff. Included among these, Matthew McKinnon, The Walrus‘s online editor, was awarded gold for Best Digital Design for the second year in a row.

“These awards are a testament to the hard work and talents of our gifted contributors,” said editor and co-publisher John Macfarlane. “We are fortunate to able to create a truly national magazine featuring their writing, photography, art, and illustration, and we’re grateful for the recognition that the National Magazine Awards bring to our collective work. The staff and contributors who won or were nominated tonight are essential to us in our efforts to create and support the Canadian conversation, and we’re truly proud.”

The Walrus magazine came into tonight’s awards having received more nominations than any other publication for the sixth straight year. The magazine has also won more awards since its inception than any other Canadian periodical. With tonight’s six gold awards and six silver awards, The Walrus has now earned a total of fifty-nine golds and thirty-six silvers at the National Magazine Awards, as well as 202 honourable mentions.

The Walrus is published ten times annually by the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation. The Walrus Foundation has an educational mandate to support writers, artists, readers, and intelligent debate on matters vital to Canadians.

On behalf of staff, interns, supporters, and readers, The Walrus congratulates all of this year’s winners and nominees. The July/August “Summer Reading” issue of The Walrus features new short fiction, as Margaret Atwood, Jospeh Boyden, and Heather O’Neill revisit some of their most iconic characters; a cover illustration by Kate Beaton; and much more. It will be on national newsstands on Monday, June 11.

May 14, 2012

On national newsstands May 14, 2012

Toronto—The Walrus continues its commitment to cities in the new June issue with a landmark story by award-winning journalist and Calgarian Chris Turner. “Calgary Reconsidered: Six Truths About Calgary” explores Canada’s boomtown, and shows a city with a changing brand that carries a history it can’t escape. Looking at politics, the arts, history (2012 is the centennial of the Calgary Stampede and the first great downtown building rush), the people, and more, Turner’s piece tackles the paradoxes of Cowtown while showing its promise. The June issue of The Walrus will be released with a series of collectible covers depicting three different sides of Calgary.

The Walrus Foundation is pleased to continue this conversation about Calgary on June 7 at Enbridge Presents the Walrus Glenbow Debate at Theatre Calgary. Four debaters—Chris Turner; political journalist Joan Crockatt; CTV‘s Mercedes Stephenson; and Mayor Naheed Nenshi’s chief of staff, Chima Nkemdirim—will argue Calgary’s Cowboy Culture: Living Legacy or Just History. We’ll have agents provocateurs such as Calgary Arts Development’s Terry Rock, Calgary Poet Laureate Kris Demeanor, the Calgary Stampede’s Deanne Carson, and others. Tickets are available at walrusmagazine.com/glenbow.

As well, the June issue of The Walrus features a stunning visual essay about Montreal as the world’s circus capital. With photography by Roger LeMoyne and text by writer Sean Michaels of Said the Gramophone, “Ringmasters” takes readers inside Tohu, the $73-million circus development that now houses the National Circus School, the international headquarters of Cirque de Soleil, studios for a number of smaller companies, all at the heart of Montreal and the world’s booming circus industry.

The June 2012 edition of The Walrus also brings readers:

John Lorinc’s “The New Cold War,” which looks at how a group of hactivists, human rights advocates, techies, and academics in Toronto is leading the charge for democracy in cyberspace.

David Sax, who profiles Scotiabank Giller Prize winner Vincent Lam and discusses the long-awaited release of Lam’s first novel, The Headmaster’s Wager.

Anne Casselman diving deep into the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club’s ongoing search for the existence of the mythical (or possibly real?) Cadborosaurus in the waters off Victoria.

The Walrus is published ten times a year by the charitable non-profit Walrus Foundation.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

May 1, 2012

The Walrus receives thirty-two nominations for the thirty-fifth anniversary National Magazine Awards

The Walrus Foundation is pleased to announce that for the sixth straight year The Walrus magazine has received the highest number of National Magazine Award nominations. Our contributors were nominated for twenty-three written, seven visual, and two integrated awards*. The winners will be announced at the thirty-fifth annual National Magazine Awards gala on June 7, 2012 in Toronto.

“We’re proud to receive these nominations, and congratulate all of the writers, journalists, and artists who have been nominated,” said co-publishers John Macfarlane and Shelley Ambrose. “The Walrus is committed to publishing thoughtful content, and we are honoured to be able to do so through our work with such talented and dedicated contributors.”

The Walrus has won more National Magazine Awards since its inception than any other publication, including the 2006 award for Magazine of the Year. During that time, The Walrus has won fifty-three golds and twenty-seven silvers at the National Magazine Awards, as well as 186 honourable mentions.

The Walrus congratulates all of our nominated contributors and staff members, listed here:

The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public debate on matters vital to Canadians. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year; producing debates, leadership dinners, salons, and other events across the country; publishing original high-quality digital content at walrusmagazine.com; through such digital projects as The Walrus Laughs, Walrus Soapbox, and walrustv.ca. We also run an intensive internship program training the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, development, and the digital world. Since its inception in 2003, The Walrus magazine has won more awards than any other Canadian periodical and continues to be Canada’s leading general interest magazine.

For more information or to book an interview, contact Kyle Wyatt at (416) 971-5004, ext. 254, or [email protected].

* Update: This release has been revised following the National Magazine Awards Foundation’s review of its previously announced nominations.

April 18, 2012

The Walrus Foundation and HitSend.ca launch The Walrus SoapBox at walrussoapbox.ca

Toronto—The Walrus SoapBox is a new and nimble online platform that puts your ideas in the hands of key decision makers. The Walrus SoapBox is a strategic and innovative voting tool that will allow Canadians from coast to coast to coast and around the globe to engage with us, and with each other, about content they read in The Walrus magazine or at walrusmagazine.com, see on walrustv.ca, or explore at the Walrus Foundation’s national events.

The Walrus SoapBox is designed for community-based change; it is a perfect extension of our educational mandate to promote debate on matters vital to Canadians. With a focus on user experience, The Walrus SoapBox will expand our ability to offer a public forum for vital conversations—on the page, stage, and online—around the issues that matter.

Traditionally, a soapbox was a way in which citizens could be heard through an impromptu or unofficial burst of public speaking. The Walrus SoapBox at walrussoapbox.ca will enable users to post or evaluate (with a thumbs up or thumbs down) ideas, and connect with other users quickly, easily, and in real time. This modern form of the soapbox elevates the blog format to include the collective voice of its users.

“In addition to publishing The Walrus magazine, providing a high standard of content at walrusmagazine.com, thewalruslaughs.com, and on walrustv.ca; and producing national events, we’re thrilled to be able to engage more Canadians in important conversations through this innovative and exciting new realm called The Walrus SoapBox,” says Shelley Ambrose, co-publisher of The Walrus magazine and executive director of the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation.

The Walrus Foundation invites all Canadians to help launch The Walrus SoapBox at walrussoapbox.ca on April 18. Our inaugural topic will be the relevance of art in daily life. On May 2, we will hold a public debate on the same topic: the Walrus National Gallery Debate in Ottawa. Submissions on The Walrus SoapBox will be referenced before, during, and after the debate—so your voice will be heard. The debate will move from the digital realm of The Walrus SoapBox to the stage, to the page, to the screen, and back to the digital realm.

“We’re thrilled to partner with The Walrus, an established thought leader committed to engaging readers in new and innovative ways. For us, a company all about ideas, it is a perfect fit. Through our platform, The Walrus audience will be able to interact and shape content and events in a meaningful way, adding a new dynamic to the already conversational nature of the magazine,” says HitSend.ca founder and CEO Brennan McEachran.

To join us on The Walrus SoapBox: simply go to walrussoapbox.ca, click “sign up” to create a user account (or alternatively log in to The Walrus SoapBox through Facebook or Google+), and then engage in the conversation.

We are grateful for the support of the Canada Council for the Arts at The Walrus National Gallery Debate and to the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Ontario Media Development Corporation for their ongoing support of our digital strategy.

About the Walrus Foundation: The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public discourse on matters vital to our country. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate.

About HitSend: HitSend Inc. is dedicated to increasing collective happiness by making tools that empower communities to set and achieve goals. HitSend’s first product, SoapBox, is an online platform for community-based change that allows each person to get their idea in the hands of key decision makers. SoapBox was originally envisioned by Brennan McEachran, who as a student at Ryerson University wanted to create a way to make his school a better place by aggregating the input of his fellow students. HitSend is currently based in the Ryerson Digital Media Zone, a startup incubator in Toronto, Canada. For more information, please visit hitsend.ca.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

April 16, 2012

On national newsstands now

Toronto—The May 2012 issue of The Walrus hits newsstands on April 16 with a feature profile of Green Party leader, Elizabeth May, by journalist Susan Harada. In our cover story—”House Rules”—Harada follows May through the trials and tribulations of navigating Parliament Hill as the leader of a one-seat party. She shows how the country’s hardest-working politician guarantees that her voice will be heard and, through doing so, might just rescue the democratic process in Canada.

The May issue of The Walrus also features Joel McConvey’s “A Park Apart,” a profile of Canada’s newest and most remote national park—Nova Scotia’s Sable Island. Known primarily for its wild horses and its foggy history of shipwrecks, Sable Island is also a unique ecosystem. McConvery questions whether public access will protect the park’s ecological integrity from irreversible damage.

Also in the May issue are essays by Walrus senior editor Rachel Giese and managing editor Kyle Carsten Wyatt. In “The Bully Pulpit,” Giese questions our enforcement of anti-bullying regulations in school and on the playground. She argues that we must examine how bullying is fostered in children and asks where the line between letting kids be kids and their protection really is. In “Of Culture and Condos,” Wyatt ponders the implications of literary critic Northrop Frye’s concepts of the “garrison mentality” and the “condominium mentality,” for Canada’s twenty-first-century architectural landscape.

The May 2012 edition of The Walrus also includes:

Mark Czarnecki’s “Lost on the Gene Map” examines the Human Genome Project—a promise to deliver a road map for personalized medicine—and asks if we are ready for its medical and ethical implications.

Heather O’Neill’s “On Growing Up White Trash” explores how the Montreal-based novelist came to terms with the culture of her birth.

John Lorinc’s “Road Rage” reviews Tara Grescoe’s Straphanger, in which transit is more than getting to one’s destination—it’s about how individuals choose to live in cities.

April 5, 2012

Introducing an imprint of the Walrus Foundation, with an original short story by internationally acclaimed author Margaret Atwood, printed by the venerable Coach House Press

TORONTO—In I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth, Margaret Atwood revisits Zenia, the mercenary character from her best-selling novel The Robber Bride:

“Long ago, when they were a lot younger, Zenia stole a man from each of them. Then she died. Now she’s come back. Or has she? There’s more than one kind of ghost.“

The Walrus Foundation’s first-ever book is a unique, thirty-two–page collector’s item. It is available ONLY to new and renewing subscribers of The Walrus magazine’s print, digital, or tablet editions. Ms. Atwood will sign and number the first 100 of the 2,000 copies in our limited edition print run.

“We’re thrilled to launch The Walrus Books with a short story by Margaret Atwood, who is not only generous and supportive of the work of the Walrus Foundation but is also having herself a great time in this short story,” says Shelley Ambrose, co-publisher of The Walrus and executive director of the Walrus Foundation. “Whether or not you have read The Robber Bride, you’ll love this crafty, twisty, turny tale of Zenia, the character who Atwood has always said she identifies with the most.”

“Zenia is a professional liar,” says Atwood. “Like all fiction writers.”

I Dream of Zenia with the Bright Red Teeth is a beautifully crafted work, designed by Brian Morgan, art director of The Walrus, with a cover pattern by Marian Bantjes.

It is entirely fitting that the Walrus Foundation, which has an educational mandate to promote debate on matters vital to Canadians and to support writers, readers, artists, and ideas, would partner with Coach House Press to launch The Walrus Books. Coach House, founded in 1965, has always maintained a dual role in Canadian letters by both publishing and printing books, setting new standards for design and quality.

The short story will appear in our best-selling Summer Reading issue, but it can be yours first in this unique format for a limited time only—and only through this online offer. To get your copy of this book, you must visit walrusmagazine.com/atwood, then subscribe—or renew an existing subscription—to The Walrus magazine.

For more information, or to book an interview, contact Shelley Ambrose at (416) 971-5004, ext. 236, or [email protected].

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

March 19, 2012

The Walrus McGill Talks at the Segal Centre on April 3, 2012: “The Art of Cultural Diversity”

Montreal—The Walrus Foundation, McGill University, the Institute for the Public Life of Arts and Ideas (IPLAI) and the Segal Centre are pleased to present the inaugural Walrus McGill Talks at the Segal Centre on April 3, 2012. The Talks continue the partnership that began with last year’s sold out Walrus McGill Debate at the Segal Centre, and will feature well-known thinkers, each giving a short talk on The Art of Cultural Diversity.

“As publishers of Canada’s best magazine, it’s important for us to bring discussion from the page to the stage to promote public participation in issues relevant to Canadians,” said Shelley Ambrose, co-publisher of The Walrus and executive director of the charitable, non-profit Walrus Foundation. “In any multicultural, multilingual city with a robust arts community, this kind of conversation is crucial, and we’re thrilled to bring these Talks to Montreal to discuss the achievements and challenges of cultural diversity in one of the world’s best cities,” added Ambrose.

“The Walrus and the Segal Centre share our commitment to public education, and we’re thrilled that we can once again partner with them to bring these lively talks to our students, faculty, and the people of Montreal,” said Christopher Manfredi, Dean of Arts of McGill University.

“The Segal Centre is proud to support the inaugural Walrus McGill Talks. We strongly believe that partnerships with organizations such as The Walrus Foundation, McGill University, and the Institute for the Public Life of Arts and Ideas (IPLAI) are paramount to building a vibrant arts community and strengthening our collective mission to promote the importance of Montreal’s cultural diversity,” says Manon Gauthier, CEO of the Segal Centre.

March 8, 2012

On national newsstands now

Toronto—In the April issue of The Walrus magazine, senior editor Rachel Giese highlights the growing epidemic of medical error in Canada, which recent studies suggest results in some 24,000 deaths annually. “The Errors of Their Ways” reveals how flawed structures in our medical system and individual practitioner errors have combined to create an environment of faulty medicine. Giese introduces readers to experts working to reform the system and retrain practitioners—reducing medical error and improving patient safety.

Also in the April issue, Noah Richler explores the shifting role of Canadian Forces and several myths surrounding our military. He suggests that the post-9/11 image of the armed forces has changed from that of peacekeepers to that of warriors. He explains how the government has consciously and deliberately shifted that image, in an attempt to reposition Canada’s military on the international stage.

Elsewhere in this issue, Adam Nayman profiles Canadian filmmaker Jennifer Baichwal and reviews Payback—her adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s CBC Massey Lectures. A deep-thinking documentarian who isn’t afraid to take risks in bringing difficult topics to the screen, Baichwal is poised for her biggest success yet with her new movie.

Additionally in the April 2012 issue of The Walrus:

John Lorinc investigates a proposed federal financial literacy leader, who will teach Canadians how to manage their money.

Michael Harris explains how today’s libraries are about much more than books.

Chris Turner discovers the uncomfortable socio-economics of the cheap beach vacation in “On Tipping in Cuba.”

“The Life of a Zombie” and three more original pieces of fiction by Lynn Crosbie.

A look by Jay Somerset at contemporary composer Ann Southam—who lived her life as she wrote her music.

The Walrus is published ten times a year by the charitable non-profit Walrus Foundation.

For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact David Leonard, Director of Events and Special Projects, at (416) 971-5004, ext. 222, or [email protected].

January 27, 2012

On national newsstands now

Toronto—The March 2012 issue of The Walrus hits the stands on January 30, with Stephen Marche’s cover story on the War of 1812. In “That Time We Beat the Americans,” Marche examines the source of two centuries’ worth of friendly tension to answer the question of just how we differ from our southern neighbours. He pays tribute to this year’s bicentennial of the War of 1812 by showing how it set the tone for our love-hate relationship with the United States. Resurrecting battle scenes and focusing on key historical figures, he tracks the evidence of Canada’s burgeoning regional solidarity as it developed during the war, and concludes that the battle for the border resulted in the formation of a uniquely Canadian identity.

The Walrus will mark the bicentennial of the War of 1812 with an original high-definition documentary that will run on eqhd as part of Walrus TV. At walrusmagazine.com/1812, you’ll find an exclusive, dedicated online archive of photos, memorabilia, and more related to the war.

This issue features Maryam Sanati’s essay “Brand Me,” in which she questions the use and abuse of Internet self-promotion. Her Gen X perspective on Gen Y personal branding asks whether today’s twentysomethings are driven by narcissism or entrepreneurship—and whether the generation that raised them deserves blame or praise.

January 10, 2012

Smart on the page, smart on the screen

Toronto—The Walrus Foundation is bringing its award-winning content from the pages of The Walrus magazine to the screen, and has announced today the launch of Walrus TV and walrustv.ca. Walrus TV is a partnership between the Walrus Foundation and Canada’s home to the smartest programming on television, eqhd, and combines quality high-definition television with web-only exclusive programming for online viewers.

Walrus TV’s programs include: original high-definition programming based on sister-content from The Walrus, and produced by eqhd; nationwide Walrus Foundation events and debates; and web-only video exclusives from The Walrus.

The centerpiece of walrustv.ca is the original smart and savvy content produced by eqhd. A premium HD channel focused on providing its subscribers with compelling documentaries and commercial-free feature films, eqhd is producing high-quality documentaries and other content to complement The Walrus magazine’s award-winning articles. This partnership means fans of quality television and award-winning writing can now get the best of the page and the screen by watching Walrus TV in high definition on eqhd, and online at walrustv.ca.

“No other magazine in our category has their stories brought to the screen as documentaries,” says executive director of the Walrus Foundation, Shelley Ambrose. “The Walrus/eqhd partnership is a first.”

“We’re a channel that provides viewers with programming that respects, inspires, and engages,” says Ken Murphy, president of eqhd. “Working with The Walrus magazine is a natural fit for us.”

Walrustv.ca launches with 27 documentaries and original pieces, and new content will be added frequently. Some of the fine programming now available at walrustv.ca includes:

“Life After Death”—based on the cover story in the September 2011 issue of The Walrus about thirty years of HIV/AIDS

“Mosque Makeovers”—based on an article from the April 2011 issue of The Walrus

“Portraits of the War”—based on Joanne Tod’s portraits of Canada’s fallen soldiers from the July/August 2011 issue of The Walrus

“The Meaning of Hockey”—based on Stephen Marche’s essay in the November 2011 issue of The Walrus

Canadian diplomat Robert Fowler’s first-hand account, from the December 2011 issue, of the harrowing time he spent in the desert after being kidnapped by Al Qaeda

Poetry readings produced by eqhd from poems and poets published in The Walrus including Damian Rogers, Paul Vermeersch, Linda Besner, Jacob McArthur Mooney, and Jeff Latosik

Special broadcasts of The Walrus Foundation events including:

“TD Presents The Walrus Toronto Project Debate at the Art Gallery of Ontario: Be it Resolved that Toronto Will Never be Beautiful”

The inaugural “Walrus National Gallery Debate: ‘Pop Art: Is it avant-garde or is it kitsch?’”

The Toronto, Halifax, and Vancouver editions of The Walrus RBC Conversation Series on Child and Youth Mental Health

Chris Wood in Yellowknife at “The Walrus Last Great Water Fight” panel

“The Walrus has evolved into a multi-platform planet delivering high-quality content to readers, visitors, viewers, and attendees through the award-winning magazine The Walrus,” says Ambrose, “and also through a huge variety of content at walrusmagazine.com, through more than thirty national events including debates, conversation series, leadership dinners; through unique digital projects such as The Walrus Laughs, and now, thrillingly, working with eqhd, Walrus TV.”

About the Walrus Foundation: The Walrus Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization with a mandate to promote public debate on matters vital to Canadians. The Foundation is dedicated to supporting Canadian writers, artists, readers, education, ideas, and debate. We achieve these goals across many platforms: publishing The Walrus magazine ten times a year; producing debates, leadership dinners, salons, and other events across the country; publishing original high-quality digital content at walrusmagazine.com; through such digital projects as The Walrus Laughs; and now, by partnering with eqhd to provide documentaries and other programming at walrustv.ca. We also run an intensive internship program training the next generation of leaders in media, the arts, development, and the digital world.

About eqhd: eqhd provides Canadians with some of the smartest programming available on television. eqhd celebrates ideas, perspectives, and ways of life around the world by bringing your family compelling documentaries and commercial-free feature films that will inspire and engage you. eqhd is owned and operated by High Fidelity HDTV, Canada’s leading HD broadcaster. Its suite of four premium HD channels, Oasis HD, HIFI, eqhd, and radX provides Canadians with some of the best non-fiction programming from around the world.

For more information on eqhd, please visit eqhd.ca or contact: Andrew Irwin, High Fidelity HDTV, (416) 686-7469, or [email protected].

March 2015

Volume 12, Number 2

Fearless. Witty. Thoughtful. Canadian.
The magazine about Canada and its place in the world, published by the non-profit charitable Walrus FoundationAvailable on newsstands, by subscription, and for digital download

#43: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women “If I can work on this as much as possible, so it will be easier for future generations to deal with, I’ll do that—willingly.” Audio documentarian Lauren Crazybull and illustrator Evan Munday discuss a Canadian epidemic of crime and heartbreakYour browser does not support the audio element.

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